Farmers' suicides history: Reddy

Even before the Centre unveils a package for districts hit by agrarian crisis, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YSR Reddy has managed to check suicides by farmers, if his claims at the Congress chief ministers' conclave at Nainital are to be believed.

Giving a power-point presentation last Saturday, he said the number of farmers who committed suicide in three months between May 2004 and July 2004 was 408. It came down to 13 in May-July 2006. In August 2004, the number of farmers who committed suicide was 180. The figure was zero for August 2006.

To achieve this, he said the government provided free power to farmers and waived electricity dues. The government waived outstanding electricity arrears worth Rs 1,254 crore accumulated up to March 31 2004, Reddy said.

In 2004-05, the state released Rs 1,139 crore under its free power policy, benefiting over two million consumers. It gave Rs one lakh to each family of the deceased farmer in addition to Rs 50,000 for paying back debts. Among other steps were an Act banning private money lenders from pressuring farmers to pay back loans and a two-year ban on credit recovery by commercial banks.

There were several other measures that Reddy listed at the conclave, drawing praise from counterparts and party colleagues. Even before his presentation, he emerged as "CM No 1," with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh telling other chief ministers to emulate him.

Calling upon chief ministers to focus on irrigation, the prime minister said, "I am happy that Andhra Pradesh has taken the lead in this matter. It's an example worthy of emulation."

On Naxalism, Singh said Andhra had been "most effective" in curbing the menace. "I urge other states to send officers to AP for gaining insight and training," he said.

Congress leaders present in the conclave told Business Standard that though Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh also claimed to have brought down the incidence of suicides by farmers, it was Reddy who stole the limelight.